Olympic Team Profile: Iran
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The reigning Asian champs from Iran will compete in the Olympic Games for the first time in 60 years, looking to surprise people with a young and big roster that consists solely of players from its domestic league. Iran enters the competition as a clear underdog, despite returning the majority of the players that helped it win its first Asian championships. Another advantage is that nearly the entire squad is made up of players from only four different club sides, meaning that the players are truly familiar with one another. Missing however will be one of that team’s stars, power forward Aidin Nekkhah Bahrami, who passed away in a car crash in June. His brother, small forward and team captain Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, and centers Hamed Ehadadi and Jaber Rouzbahani are the team’s most recognizable players and will look to march the team to success in Aidin’s memory.
Though Iran’s players all play in the nation’s domestic league, at the helm is a coach with plenty of international experience, Rajko Toroman. Among his weapons # | Name | Pos. | H. | 5 | Amir Amini | G | 189 | 6 | Javad Davari | G | 180 | 9 | Iman Zandy | G | - | 10 | Hamed Afagh | G | - | 11 | Hamed Sohrabnajad | F | - | 12 | Oshin Sahakian | F | 200 | 14 | Samad Nikkhah Bahrami | F | 200 | 15 | Hamed Ehadadi | C | 218 | 17 | Saeid Davarpanahfard | G | - | 22 | Moosa Nabipoor | C | 210 | - | Jaber Rouzbahani | C | 223 | - | Ali Doraghi | F | 205 | | Head Coach: Rajko Toroman |
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of choice are the team’s big options at center, the 2.18-meter Ehadadi and the 2.23-meter Rouzbahani. That pair makes sure that Iran will always have a low-post threat on offense, a shot-blocker on defense and someone to crash the boards at both ends. Shooting guard Hamed Afagh Eslamieh is Iran’s top three-point shooting threat, but much will fall on the shoulders of playmaker Mehdi Kamrani and his backup Amir Amini. Of course the keys to Iran’s hopes rest with Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, a small forward who contributes in every area both on the floor and off and will need to continue to do so to keep his squad competitive.
Iran will be the clear underdog for every game that it takes part in at Beijing, but there will be many pulling for the Asian side as well. The fact that so many of the team’s players are relatively unknown on this stage combined with their mission to honor their fallen colleague makes Iran’s story an exciting one, which will surely thrill fans around the world this summer.
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Euroleague.net
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